Sharp Elite PRO-60X5FD 3D LED LCD HDTV Elite Tech: Old Is New

Elite Tech: Old Is New

There’s a fair amount of cutting-edge technology in the new Elite HDTVs, but in many ways, these sets represent more of an evolution than a revolution. In sweeping terms, we’ve seen just about everything here before. Full-array LED backlights with local dimming aren’t new, and earlier Sharp-branded models have featured the company’s quad-pixel technology. But there’s no question that this no-holds-barred, nearly price-no-object execution is the best we’ve seen among LCDs. Here are some key highlights.

Gen-Ten UV2A Panel
As Tom notes in his text, Sharp is using what we believe to be hand-selected samples of its latest 10th-generation LCD panels in the Elite HDTVs. These tap the company’s ultraviolet-photosensitive production techniques to improve the positioning of the alignment film in the panel and increase the panel’s aperture ratio. Translation: They’ve improved the image fill factor and reduced the amount of light lost behind the grid lines between the pixels. The results are said to be reduced backlight leakage, which creates deeper blacks and more light pass-through with any given backlight—20 percent more, Sharp says, than conventional LCDs. This was clearly evident in our test sample’s hyper-bright 3D playback. In a press release from September 2009 that announced plans to incorporate UV2A into its next-generation LCD panels, the company said the technology should “be ideal for enhancing the performance of high-definition 4Kx2K displays and 3DTVs, which are expected to form the next generation of TVs.” Two years later, this new Elite line debuted.

Full-Array, Local-Dimming, LED Backlight
Full-array LED backlights that allow the backlight to be dimmed down to black or near black in areas of the picture that demand it provide far superior contrast to HDTVs with edge-lit LED backlights by delivering deep blacks without sacrificing bright highlights. But the large number of LEDs required and the high-level signal processing needed to manage them on the fly drives up the cost of both development and manufacture of these sets. This is where the Elites seem to set themselves apart from local dimmers that have come before, and we suspect
a chunk of the high ticket price can be found right here. Sharp hasn’t released or confirmed the figures, but sources have told us there are 240 dimming zones in the backlight grid in the 60-inch model and 336 in the 70-inch. While we can’t speak for other manufacturers, we’re guessing this is more than any other TV maker has put into a consumer HDTV to date. This higher-resolution backlight is very effectively managed by Sharp’s Intelligent Variable Contrast (IVC) processing. Along with the Gen-Ten panel, the combo produces the inkiest blacks and best contrast we’ve seen on a flat panel this side of a Pioneer Kuro.

RGB+Y Color
As explained in our review, the Elites add a yellow subpixel to the red, green, and blue subpixels found in all other HDTVs. Tom found in his evaluation that the most obviously (and unnaturally) enhanced yellow and gold tones were associated with picture modes and IVC settings other than those he settled on as the most accurate. But this technology proved a modest plus overall.—Rob Sabin

I have seen the TV in person. I was not impressed with the picture quality given the technology this TV contains. With that being said, the TV may have not been set up properly. The blacks were certainly no better than my Sony KDL46XBR CCFL LCD. I'm sure the Elite is capable of much more than what I saw. The same store had a Sony 929 series LCD. The picture on the Sony was very bright and had deep blacks, but the brightness was incredible! The Sony was probably in torch mode, but it made an impression! Go look at the Elite and judge for yourself. I'm sure with some tweaking the Elite I saw would be impressive because the demos of the Elite I have seen on YouTube show very deep black levels and outstanding brightness. Maybe I should take by Sony ES bluray player to the store and feed it a quality picture and tweak the controls, but I'm not going to buy the TV, so why bother? I enjoy my Sony LCD just fine (just wish it was bigger). The point is to enjoy the content viewed on YOUR TV! Thanks for the review Home Theater!

I have not doubt. You are the expert and I trust your opinion. Imagine how disappointed I was to actually be able to see this TV and realize it was not set up properly. I was impressed with Sharp's 920 and 925 series of TVs. I found the extra pop from the yellow subpixel added much to the picture quality and had high hopes for the Elite. Maybe TVs have bad days too :-)

This tv is right next to the VT Panasonic series at Abt and I was not impressed. I had the money for either and bought the VT. No contest. They were both fed the same program material and the VT has better resolution with both panels set to the cinema preset with the sharpness control set to zero. Measurements aren't everything. Sorry. No contest in resolution.

Scott, how bad is the blurring on this set? The one thing I really, really like about plasmas is that great sense of motion--from film to sports. The LCD motion blur really bothers me. So how does this set compare with motion blur and soap opera effect. I don't have a 120hz tv so I've seen the soap opera effect before but not super-familiar with it. Tom mentions it in the review, but that's about it.

Theo:
The soap opera effect results when you engage a set's motion interpolation feature. For this to work properly, a set's refresh rate must usually be a minimum of 120Hz (96Hz for 24Hz sourcesI suppose it may be theoretically possible to do a refresh rate of 48Hz for 24Hz sources, but that would likely produce unacceptable flicker.) Without interpolation, or with interpolation disengaged, a 120Hz set should not produce the soap opera effect. As to motion smoothness without it, LCD sets are inherently poorer at motion than plasmas, but I have not found this to be an issue on most modern designs, including this one. But others may well be more sensitive to, or annoyed by, motion lag than I am.

Anakinskye:
I assume you meant that the Movie (THX) mode was used in your comparison of the Elite and Panasonic. But unlike many sets, the optimum position of the Sharpness control on the Elite is not zero, but -10the centered position. At the zero setting, the resolution is severely degraded. Either the dealer has gaps in his knowledge on how to set up the Elite optimally, or the Elite's Sharpness control was set to zero to help sell the cheaper Panasonic against it.

You might want to go back and re-do the comparison, assuming the dealer is willing to do an exchange should you change your mind. If not, I wouldn't be too alarmed. The VT is really an excellent set, and will be superior to the Elite on fast motion (see above) and in off axis viewing. In all other respects, I feel it's no contest. Of course, considering the price difference, that should be expected.

You also can't judge comparative color in a showroom, since both sets may be off enough in their factory settings to make such a comparison moot. Nor can you compare black levels unless the controls are optimally set on both sets and the room is very dimly lit--or better yet completely dark. If it sounds like I'm saying that you can't pick a TV based on a typical showroom demonstration, you're reading me correctly. Sad, but true.

The settings I settled on during the review should have been posted with the review, but because we wanted to get the review on-line ASAP, they haven't been. But they will be.

All:
Two weeks after turning in the review I'm still as impressed as ever by the Elite, and even more so by its 3D performance, which is the best I've yet seen, bar none. That includes IMAX 3D, though of course the latter offers superior impact from its big screen.

Tom, as always, you are the best. I didn't know that and I always *assumed* that if a set was running at 120 or 240 then it had some sort of frame interpolation engaged. So my older 60hz TV will have more motion blur than a newer set running at 120 or 240. Good to know! Great review as always. You have many of us who appreciate your reviews and thorough approach.

I'd be grateful for additional critical comments on how the Elite handles SD content - SD special features as typically found on BDs, DVD content and SD cable/sat TV. How easy is it for the Elite to switch aspect ratios, zoom and stretch to view SD content without geometric distortion or loss of image? How does the Elite's SD performance stack up against the Kuro and/or other top quality plasmas?

Went back to Abt and changed the sharpness on the Elite to -10. Worse, as I expected. I don't know what you are seeing but I see a VERY overpriced tv that looks worse than it measures. I had the manager and the tech that setup the tv with the Spears and Munsil disc there and they both agreed they preferred the Panasonic, no contest. 100% happy with my choice. BTW, your settings for the VT are an outstanding starting point.

Baddgsx:
Please re-read the review. The Elite can generate FAR more brightness than 25 ft-L if you want to push it to the max, and far more than any plasma we've ever tested. That's why it can produce the brightest 3D images we've ever seen. I chose to use 25-30 ft-L as a reference level for setup because that's the brightness level I find satisfying and comfortable for 2D movie watching in a dimly lit or darkened room. It also matches the level I was able to comfortably achieve with 3D, making the 2D-to3D transition about equal in brightness. It also matches the setup brightness level on my 60" Kuro. That particular Kuro will not reach 40 ft-L in Pure mode without white clipping.
Anakinskye:
Without standing next to you in the store, or your seeing my comparison, it's impossible to know what you're seeing. I do know that on our sample the middle setting of the Sharpness control produces an impeccably detailed yet not overly enhanced image on both real sources and on test patterns. Go one step higher to -9, however, and edge enhancement pops up dramatically. It's possible that the optimum point may vary by a step or two with different samples. Our sample was received for review around the third week in October.

The Elite is certainly an expensive set, but whether or not it's overpriced is in the eye of the beholder. Because Sharp makes much less expensive sets as well, many buyers cannot divorce that fact from the high price of the Elites. Some people feel the same way about the Toyota/Lexus connection. I did mark the Elite down for value, and have a suspicion that it or similarly designed sets may come down in price over time.

My high opinion of the Elite is not based on its measurements alone, but on many hours of watching real world material as well. My standard is that good measurements alone are a necessary result for a Top Pick, but this must be supported by a great viewing experience with real sources. I spend far more review time watching typical program material than I do in performing the measurements.

As to the set's performance with SD material, Cbono, I have watched some SD sources, and the set does as well as might be expected in that regard, but I will do more and report the results here, time permitting.

Tom, great review, answers all questions I would have were I in the market for such a set.

In re: pricing, do you have any inkling whether a second generation of these sets would see a corresponding reduction in price (say 20-30%) given the presumed ability to ramp up higher yield production of gen-10 panels, and the inevitable "failure" of this product to achieve significant market penetration based on the current prices? Will we see these features trickle down to the lower priced Sharp sets, while a new "Elite" will maintain the pricing and be a test bed for some newer tech?

As I say, I'm not really in the market. I've got a 2010 set that I hope can last me a decade, nor do I have $6-$8k to blow. But I'm curious what you think the evolution of the market segment will be in the next 5 years.

I know you are hip to AC Chords and power conditioners but since you didn't mention anything about the improvement in the dimensionality of the Pioneer Kuro Elites when using them I thought I would mention that the only criticism I've had of both my Pioneer Kuro Elites, 60 & 50 inch, is when I observed in a large Best Buy the slight bit of better 3 dimensionality in the very top Samsungs compared to my sets. I might add that this was before the Sharps obtained the Elite designation and just a smidgen before the Panasonic Plasmas got real good-around the time the Pioneer 151 Kuro Elite came out and shortly after Pioneer announced their departure. Then only the Samsung "popped" with that little extra 3D look while viewing 2D video.

I was late using power conditioning and great AC cables on my 151 and top Pioneer Blu-ray but when I added the Transparent MM2 Power Chords to both and the P.S. Audio Power Plant Premier in the Multi Mode all of the dimensionality I could want or have seen on other sets suddenly appeared. The picture now is sooo seductive that I for the first time ever could be just as happy viewing a regular DVD as a Blu-ray. The difference is not small and it involves a quantum improvement in 3 dimensionality while viewing 2D discs of any kind.

Tom,
LCDs have always been energy savers compared to plasmas, though that gap seem to be narrowing.
Was there a direct corrolation to the amount of power consumed by a Kuro to it's outstanding performance? As a comparision, did a 50" Kuro use more energy than a Pioneer's non-Elite 50-incher? If so, how was that energy used to drive the Kuro to levels not equaled by plasma manufacturers today?

I haven't watched the Green Lantern, but from what I hear, it's terrible. I intend to see if there are any demo-worthy scenes in it, though most of it is CGI, which usually looks great on just about any display.

Just to clarify, are you saying you think the Sharp Elite has slightly better picture quality than the Kuro? That's the way I'm reading it, but someone else thinks you gave the Sharp the crown (by a nose) for different reasons, e.g. 3D capabilities.

Some previous questions above still need to be answered. For starters, the Elite performed well with standard definition material. I had no complaints, at least apart from the usual loss of resolution compared to HD. But on this size screen my DVDs were still highly watchable. Cable was another matter, but the fact that a lot of SD cable material had annoying jaggy artifacts cannot be blamed on the set, since this was not true of DVDs. Nor is it likely to be the same on all cable systems. The results I see on my cable service will not be the same as you see on yours, which is why I do not consider SD cable a reliable test source for judging picture quality. Cable services are using more and more compression to provide more and more largely useless SD cable channels.

As to the settings used in the review, they have been turned in for posting and should appear with the review shortly.

If there was some ambiguity as to which set I preferred, that was largely intentional. They have different strengths and weaknesses. The Kuro excels in off-axis performance and overall had slightly superior blacks, though the latter is a very close call. The Sharp Elite was subtly, um, sharper. It could also go significantly brighter then the Kuro plasma if you feel the need, and it has the best 3D performance I've yet seen (while the Kuro, of course, has none).

As for their relative power consumption, I'll shortly be posting a blog with that information. Stay tuned!

Thanks for the clarification. I see some of the advantages of each set.

However, I'm still unclear on one point. If you'll indulge me and the rest of your readers (pretty please!): of the Kuro and Sharp Elite, which do you feel has the better 2D image quality when viewing on-angle?

Tom I respect and love all your reviews heck I even use your settings you did on the Sony KDL 40V5100 on my 46inch version BUT I have to disagree on your statement that the new Sharp Elite's are better then the legendary Pioneer Kuro Elite's. Sharp dont come close and I feel you only said Sharp was better because of the 3D factor which to me is all hype, I could be wrong. My freind has a Kuro Elite and it blows any HDTV that I have yet seen out of the water and that includes the new Sharp models. I wont call them Elite because in my book there is only one Elite and that was the Pioneer Kuro. Like I said Tom I have nothing but respect for you and I love the reviews you do but this one I cant agree on.